How to take your Annual Report from meaningless obligation to impactful tool!

Have you ever accidentally run a marathon? No? Does that seem like an odd question?

Of course it’s does, because running a marathon takes planning, training and strategy, it’s not just routine (at least not the first one). When something is a routine part of our lives, we can forget to connect to the core purpose of why we’re doing what we’re doing.

Don’t fall into this trap with your annual report.

If you do, you miss a huge opportunity to be strategic, gain accountability and focus on your plans for the coming year. Reporting on your accomplishments and organizational changes are part of the equation that goes into creating your annual report. However, if you’re looking forward as well as backward, you can more clearly articulate where you are right now. You have the opportunity to look forward to the new year and publicly commit to your goals. This can be powerful for accountability and transparency, which are keys to building trust.

Doing the work to bring your goals for the coming year to your designer as you collaborate on your annual report will pay off by creating a blueprint for your year to come. A strategic annual report can create a wealth of marketing material to draw from for the next twelve months, not to mention continue to grow your relationships with your donors.

The goals for the coming year can also help inform the theme. Creating a theme that’s cute or catchy may seem like a good idea, but powerful design needs to relay real meaning, not show arbitrary symbolism. The theme, the report, and the overall design all need to strategically align with the goals.

When we start with goals, we have the best opportunity for creating something that aligns with your organization’s values and will resonate with donors who are ready to support your mission.

If you want your annual report to be worth the investment, you need to use it as strategically as possible, and being strategic requires doing the deep thinking up front.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Email or set up a consult to set the process in motion so that you can spend your next year with clear direction, public accountability and stronger relationships with your donor base.